Think of all the water in your pool. It should constantly move and circulate, or at least circulate for 10 to 12 hours a day. Your pool circulation system has to be in top shape to ensure you don’t end up with stagnant water that encourages algae and bacteria growth. Read on to learn how to improve your swimming pool’s circulation and keep your water crystal-clear and free of debris.
Why Pool Water Circulation is Important
What happens when water stands still? It becomes a breeding ground for bacteria and algae, and it can look cloudy, muddy or dirty. Debris gathers in these stagnant areas, and it creates an environment that isn’t healthy for anyone to swim in.
The water also won’t be evenly distributed throughout the pool. This can cause chemical imbalances, leading to dirty or cloudy water. Also, you’ll spend more money trying to balance out the chemicals in your water, not to mention the waste.
Proper pool circulation takes care of all of these issues. It pushes the water through your filter system to catch and screen out dirt, bugs, grass and any other particles in the water. It can even get rid of the oils left by your skin or cosmetics. As long as your swimming pool circulation system is in good shape, it’ll help your water stay clear throughout the season.
How Pool Water Circulation Works
Pool circulation starts in your pump. You need to select the correct pump for your pool size and water volume, to ensure that it can cycle the water through several times a day. The pump connects to a horizontal hose that runs to your pool’s skimmer. Once you switch the pump on, it’ll create suction that starts to pull the water through the skimmer.
There is a vertical hose on top of your pump that will connect to your filter system. The water will travel through the skimmer and pump before entering the filtering area. The filter is the component that will screen out the debris and microscopic particles that could turn your water cloudy. A second hose connects to the pump’s exit and pulls the clean water back into the swimming pool.
When the water travels back into the swimming pool, it’ll circulate throughout it and mix with any chemicals you add into the water. It’ll spread the chemicals out in the pool and evenly distribute them. If you don’t have a pool circulation system, you have to drain and refill it on a weekly basis.
Pool Circulation Technology: Old Versus New
An old-fashioned eyeball and skimmer system works to clean the surface of the pool. This traditional water circulation system uses a pool skimmer box and a pump. The pump draws the water through the pool filter box before it returns it to the pool jets (eyeballs). These eyeballs are only 30 to 60cm below the water’s surface, and so only clean the shallower section of the water, leaving other areas untouched.
But new technology goes further than this. This technology allows for you to circulate and clean all of the water in your pool, and not just the surface.
At Compass Pools, we offer the Vantage cleaning system. This is an in-floor cleaning system that uses a series of nozzles embedded in the pool’s floor. They lay flat when you don’t use them, so they are out of the way. When you switch them on, the nozzles move to point upward and shoot the clean water towards the surface of the pool. This moves the water in a circular motion that drives it through the cleaning system.
Another option you have available to you is the Logic water circulation system. This system incorporates a skimmer and two wall drains. Once the water passes through the skimmer, the clean water is returned through the swing jets and is evenly distributed to every area of your pool.
How to Avoid Pool Circulation Problems
There are several things you can do to avoid pool circulation problems. First, you want to ensure you set up a proper cleaning routine for your pump and filter system. Even newer technology requires routine cleaning to keep it working in top shape.
To start, make a point to clean your pool pump filter at least once a week. If you notice that your water pressure has dropped, you may have to clean them sooner because there is a clog somewhere that stops the water from flowing through.
If your swimming pool has a cartridge filter, you’ll have to routinely spray it out. This will get rid of a lot of the trapped debris or particles and make it easier for the water to flow through. You should replace your filters every two to four weeks, based on your manufacturer’s instructions.
You may also want to backwash your filter system. When you backwash it, you make the water go through the system in the opposite direction than it would during normal operation. This can help dislodge any stuck-in debris or clogs, and the backwashed water is directed to the drainage port.
Maintain your pool’s recommended water levels. Ideally, the water levels will reach halfway up the skimmers. If they don’t, it can decrease the amount of water your system can screen. If there is too much water, you can overwhelm your system and harm circulation. This can also make it difficult to balance the chemicals in the pool water.
Locate Your Local Compass Pools Dealer Today!
Would you like to know more about the Vantage or Logic pool circulation system? Come and visit your nearest Compass Pools dealer. We are looking forward to helping you select the best pool water circulation system for your new Compass fibreglass pool!